1 bedroom condo/ apt occupancy restrictions

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by ECPCVC

But not so common in Boston.

More common than you'd think. We don't have a ton of 1 bedrooms in the best of circumstances in our housing stock, but my old neighborhood was filled with city worker couples (police officers, DPW workers, teachers) who shared a 2 bedroom with 3 or 4 kids.

Now I live out in Marlborough and in my building alone, I know of 3 families in 1 bedrooms with at least one child. Most of the families have at least 3 kids, and the building is only 1 and 2 bedrooms. Do the math there. My neighbors across the hall have 4 kids and also appear to have a grandparent living with them, and you can see from the street when their blinds are open that they have a partition to make an extra "bedroom" in the living room. Even out here, rent for a 2 bedroom is $1500+ a month.

I wouldn't want to do it and have structured my life to hopefully not have to do it by waiting to have kids, but when most of eastern Mass has skyrocketing rents I suspect many more people will find themselves sharing less space. It's heartbreaking to see lower to middle income families who were able to make it in towns like Marlborough, Haverhill, and even Medford a decade ago trying to find new accommodations in our town FB group when their housing changes only to find that rent has gone up hundreds of dollars in a few years.

To the OP - why do you want to buy a 1 bedroom condo? If you are planning on living there short term, it might make more sense to rent until you can afford at least a 2 bedroom unless you anticipate your circumstances to change in the short term to where you could rent out the condo when you buy a new place.

[ECPCVC]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

More common than you'd think. We don't have a ton of 1 bedrooms in the best of circumstances in our housing stock, but my old neighborhood was filled with city worker couples (police officers, DPW workers, teachers) who shared a 2 bedroom with 3 or 4 kids.

Now I live out in Marlborough and in my building alone, I know of 3 families in 1 bedrooms with at least one child. Most of the families have at least 3 kids, and the building is only 1 and 2 bedrooms. Do the math there. My neighbors across the hall have 4 kids and also appear to have a grandparent living with them, and you can see from the street when their blinds are open that they have a partition to make an extra "bedroom" in the living room. Even out here, rent for a 2 bedroom is $1500+ a month.

I wouldn't want to do it and have structured my life to hopefully not have to do it by waiting to have kids, but when most of eastern Mass has skyrocketing rents I suspect many more people will find themselves sharing less space. It's heartbreaking to see lower to middle income families who were able to make it in towns like Marlborough, Haverhill, and even Medford a decade ago trying to find new accommodations in our town FB group when their housing changes only to find that rent has gone up hundreds of dollars in a few years.

To the OP - why do you want to buy a 1 bedroom condo? If you are planning on living there short term, it might make more sense to rent until you can afford at least a 2 bedroom unless you anticipate your circumstances to change in the short term to where you could rent out the condo when you buy a new place.

I know it’s done, especially if you are renting, low income, or just have 1 young child. The vibe I got from the OP was that he thinks renting is a waste of money and wants to live in one of the “best” towns and refuses to have his family live comfortably because of it. I could be wrong.

[BostonMike7]

I read through my old condo docs. Didn't see any wording in there that suggested that, as an owner, I couldn't move 3 other people into my 1BR. I'd imagine this sort of restriction would be up to the individual rules of each condo association.

I do know the guy renting next door from me was a non-custodial parent and had 2 kids and a girlfriend. They would come stay the weekend in the 1BR. They weren't little either...maybe age 7-10? He had privacy screens set up in the living room area cordoning off a 2nd bedroom. Uncertain who slept where. This went on for 2 years or so until he moved.


Digging back into my way-back machine, I remembered that my parents were a family of 5 (4,2 and newborn) living in a 1BR apt for a brief while. I vaguely remember it. I think we moved shortly after my sis was born to a 3BR.

[CaseyB]

I think he was told by an apartment complex that they don't rent one bedrooms to 4 people.

His kids aren't little, either.

[hope2settle]

Thanks again everyone for your time and information.
My kids are 10 and 12 years old.
I thought if I own the apt/ condo, since there is no law said occupancy restrictions, why I can't use it for 4 person.
Currently I live in 2 bed apt rental at Buffalo-NY. In my building, have 8 apt all 2 bedroom, only my apt fill with 4 person, the other 7, 3 of them 5 people and 4 of them 6 person. and in other building at same apt complex, most of 2 bed is occupied with 5 person(parent and 3 kids).
I guess it all depend on neighbors, whether they want report it to management or not. And to be honest, I don't think the management people/ maintenance guys don't aware/ notice about it.
So... it look like more occupancy restriction to 1 bed than 2 bed apt(whether it own or rent)
The sale price different between 1 and 2 bed apt is quite significant, compare 2 and 3 bedroom apt. That's why I think to buy 1 bed apt than 2 bed apt.

btw someone(reply #4 ) suggest 40b, what is that?

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by hope2settle

Thanks again everyone for your time and information.
My kids are 10 and 12 years old.
I thought if I own the apt/ condo, since there is no law said occupancy restrictions, why I can't use it for 4 person.
Currently I live in 2 bed apt rental at Buffalo-NY. In my building, have 8 apt all 2 bedroom, only my apt fill with 4 person, the other 7, 3 of them 5 people and 4 of them 6 person. and in other building at same apt complex, most of 2 bed is occupied with 5 person(parent and 3 kids).
I guess it all depend on neighbors, whether they want report it to management or not. And to be honest, I don't think the management people/ maintenance guys don't aware/ notice about it.
So... it look like more occupancy restriction to 1 bed than 2 bed apt(whether it own or rent)
The sale price different between 1 and 2 bed apt is quite significant, compare 2 and 3 bedroom apt. That's why I think to buy 1 bed apt than 2 bed apt.

btw someone(reply #4 ) suggest 40b, what is that?

40B is a program in this state where you can own certain properties without paying the market rate for them.
There might only be one development per town where this applies, and some towns don't have any.

You have to have a salary low enough to qualify.

[rethcir]

I just hope OP doesn’t think that the good school district he moves to is going to cancel out the duress that cramming his family into a shoebox is going to put on his kids.